1961 mercury 800 80hp

[Timbalero80]

as i was checking the lights on my boat which is a 1961 texas maid this evening i couldnt get them to turn on. Not sure if its a bad switch. anyway i kinda gave up on the lights and took the housing to my motor off to just take a look at it. i started smelling like something burning! i began to touch around the motor and came across some kind of sensors of some sort i guess. im not too familiar with boats as this is my first and im restoring it. anyway these things which are actually two were very hot to the touch!! does anyone know what they are and what is causing them to get that way?Here is a picture.

 

[buddhapi]

Re: 1961 mercury 800 80hp

that is a resistor. did you leave your key on? that cut's your voltage down, so your ignition contact points last longer. if your ignition is off, you'll want to figure out why it's still drawing juice. they may also be for your tilt and trim? is your boat equipped with a separate key switch for the tilt and trim?

 

[chrome dome]

Re: 1961 mercury 800 80hp

there won't be a separate switch for the tilt 'n' trim...coz there ain't tilt 'n' trim on that old girl LOL...
looked at one of those today...noice!

 

[Timbalero80]

Re: 1961 mercury 800 80hp

actually it only got hot as the key was on, chrome dome your right this old girl doesn't have all that fancy smanshy stuff lol!! @buddhapi... your right about those resistors i actually looked through the operation and maintenance guide that was given to me when i got the boat a couple months back but it doesn't say anything about them, just shows them in the electric starter wiring diagram. is this something i should be worried about? do they usually get that way the key is on? i mean the boat was not running just on the on position.

 

[merc850]

Re: 1961 mercury 800 80hp

buddhapi's first part of his answer is correct - they are ballast resistors that lower the voltage to the coils while running to save the points, if you leave the key on they will heat up as they do when running.

 

[chum1]

Re: 1961 mercury 800 80hp

worked on a '65' 800 a bit and also noticed the coils get very warm too, i think thats a normal thing for those engines, also the watercooling properties would also come into play cooling the parts when engine running.

 

[Timbalero80]

Re: 1961 mercury 800 80hp

thanks for all the help!!